ZZMJ Tea Consulting

04/12/2016

It was a pleasure to teach the basics of gongfu brewing to the members of SocieTea of the University of Edinburgh. Warm thanks to Sam for these photos.

25/11/2016

ZZMJ Chinese Team on the train to Tibet. Almost two days journey starting from Guangdong provides breathtaking views and plenty of time to have tea.

22/11/2016

There are no words, there is Tea

20/11/2016

Today and tomorrow we are donating some more tea and teaware in Edinburgh, because our representative is leaving the city. Sharing is an essential part of ChaDao and it feels good to think that this helps other people to help sharing tea and tea culture.

02/11/2016

Yesterday I had the privilege to share tea with two new friends. 6 hours and 6 incredible teas, a rare occasion indeed:

Liu bao, 30 years old
Yi wu, 2004
Jing mai, 2014
Yi chang hao, 1998
Lao bang zhang, 2015
Menghai 2006

01/11/2016

If you haven't tasted tea tangerines, now it's your chance to try. If you have already tried, now it's your chance to drink really good ones.

TeaWon recreates Taiwan local tea house atmosphere. You can come to try 3 premium tea (Premium Pauchong, HongShui Oolong, Alishan Spring JinXuan, Tangerine Alishan Oolong) and 2 tea snacks. This time, we also do some experiemnemts about how water quality affects tea taste. The admission fee is redee...

14/10/2016

A bowl tea ceremony with an authentic Tibetan singing bowl - a calm, silent moment of retreat in the middle of the omnipresent noise of modern life.

10/10/2016

If you are in Edinburgh and like oolongs, here's an interesting Gong Fu Tasting organised by TeaWon.

Friday, 14 October 2016 18:30-19:30 At this event, TeaWon provides premium Oriental beuaty, extremely sweet Muscatel Oolong (due to Jacobiasca formosana last year, only one pack left) and premium honey black oolong. Through tasting 3 kinds of tea, which are affected by Jacobiasca formosana, TeaWon…

09/10/2016

On Friday we enjoyed a silent candle light Gong Fu ceremony. The theme of the night was ‘Homecoming and Autumn’. For the ChaXi I used autumn leaves and other natural elements from the nearby hill and chose Tibetan singing bowls for music. For most of the many of the participants this was the first time to attend a ceremony like this and drink tea using anything else than tap water.

We had a calm, peaceful atmosphere of tealovers gathering together. Classically the maximum number of guest for Gong Fu is 4, but on Friday we had 5, which required thorough preparation and concentration during the event. Here are some photos taken after the session and also after the second more informal one I hosted for friends on Saturday playing recording of Chinese flute music. I altered the rest of the Cha Xi, because Each ceremony is unique. They depend the participants, how people connect with each other and the flow of the event.

05/10/2016

Last weekend we made an expedition to Scotlandwell to find some spring water. The site was a popular amongst pilgrims in the Middle Ages, the most famous of them being Robert the Bruce. This week we have been testing it with tea and it work well. However it is not neutral enough for more delicate teas. We'll keep looking for the ideal spring or a holy well, to get the best water for tea. The trip to a well in itself is an experience and part of the Way of Tea. Lu Yu and other old masters highlighted the importance of natural water from a good source. Nowadays it is possible to buy decent botteled spring water, which are better than what you get from the tap. However they are always treated in some way and buying a plastic bottle from the supermarket can't compare with going to a historical well or a spring in the nature.

03/10/2016

'Tea Stove' by Zhu Xi:

Stone stove left behind by immortals,
Lies crooked in the center of the stream.

Tea finished, two boats drift on abreast,
Tea smoke; wafting delicate fragrance.

茶灶 朱熹 CháZào -- Zhū Xī

仙翁遺石灶 xiānwēng yíshízào
宛在水中央 wǎnzài shuǐzhōngyāng
飲罷方舟去 yǐnbà fāngzhōuqù
茶煙裊細香 cháyān niǎoxìxiāng